


The Subtle Art of Confidence

by VirtusFortitudoEtSapientia



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: All Grown Up (Sorta), Armin Sensei, Eren is an antagonising little shit, F/M, M/M, Modern AU, Senpai notices him, Smooth Armin, Thanksgiving Fic, we all love him anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 20:23:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16940097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VirtusFortitudoEtSapientia/pseuds/VirtusFortitudoEtSapientia
Summary: In giving love advice to Jean during the Yearly Jaeger Thanksgiving Thing, Armin accidentally leads by example.





	The Subtle Art of Confidence

**Author's Note:**

> I haven’t posted in a while, and this little bunny bit me. So it’s kinda rushed and terrible, but this is the best it’s going to be and I can’t in good conscience let it rot in my hard drive alongside the 200+ unfinished AOT fics already there. 
> 
> I may rewrite it in the future, but for now, this is what you get. 
> 
> Don’t forget to leave a Kudos if you liked it!
> 
> All my love,  
> Virtus xx

The Subtle Art of Confidence   

(Or, Armin Accidentally Proves His Own Point) 

_‘I've been thinking we're meant to be_  
_But_ _I_ _don't_ _know_ _how_ _to_ _show_ _you_ _the_ _best_ _of_ _me_  
_Yeah_ , _I_ _want_ _you_ , _do_ _you_ _want_ _me_ , _too_?  
_Yeah_ , _I_ _want_ _you_ , _do_ _you_ _want_ _me_ , _too_?’

______________

     “It doesn’t matter what I do, it doesn’t work!” Jean was moaning. “I haven’t gotten laid in three _months_.”

They were all gathered in the Jaegers kitchen; Jean, Eren, Connie and Armin. From the living room, they could hear the sounds of the Thanksgiving gathering going on - it wasn’t a party, per say; more of a community get together. The four males of their friendship group had taken a few minutes to themselves in the quiet, and Jean had finally swallowed his pride long enough to ask for help.

Eren was too busy snickering by the sink to be any help, but Connie was ready to launch on a tirade, half his body sticking out of the fridge, and Armin sighed, wondering just _why_ he was there. Still, he listened, leaning back on the counter with his forearms braced behind him.

      “Dude, you have to woo women. Like, buy them drinks, flowers and shit. And food. Girls always say they’re on diets or they don’t eat and stuff, but you just have to tell them they don’t need to. Like, they look perfect, see what I’m saying?”

Connie had a fair point, though Armin was pretty sure there was something wrong with his theory.

      “Don’t even try. It’s probably your face putting them off.”  
      “Why are you even here, Eren? You’re still a damn virgin, get out of my face-”  
      “It’s the delivery of the pick up lines you use.”

He only opened his mouth to stop yet _another_ fight between the pair, but now he’d gotten their attention, he decided he might as well be a good friend and give some advice.

     “You’re too cocky with your approach. Actually, approaching at all could be the issue.” He shrugged, but Jean looked intrigued.  
     “What do you suggest?”  
     “Wait for the right opportunity. A spilled drink, or something that you obviously have in common. At a gathering like this, reaching for the same dish, for example. In a club, maybe singing along to the same song. That sort of thing. Use the situation to your advantage to strike up conversations. Also, your pick up lines are cliche and trashy. Everyone already knows them.” He added with a wry grin. Seriously, if any guy had tried to use some of the lines Jean used on _him_ , he’d be running in the other direction. Jean’s face fell, and Eren smirked, but thankfully didn’t say anything else.  
      “What are the chances of that, though?”  
      “Higher than you’d think. But don’t, like, be sleazy or anything. Just keep an eye out. Ask questions about her instead of bragging about yourself. All you need to do is grab her attention for a moment. Be remembered for the right reasons.”

Before they could say anything else, they were joined by another person - Mikasa’s older brother.

Also Armin’s mega-crush through middle school and beyond. Quite a feat given that he’d just turned twenty two.

      “Hey, Levi.” Eren greeted with a wide grin, raising an eyebrow at Armin the moment Levi passed him. They’d known each other long enough that Armin knew exactly what that look meant, and fought the urge to groan.

_Take_ _your_ _own_ _advice_.

He couldn’t retort the way he wanted to because Levi was headed towards him, and he froze when he stopped directly in front of him.  
     “You alright?” Armin asked when Levi went to open the cupboard right next to his head. To do so meant he had to reach directly over Armin’s shoulder and for one brief, _delicious_ moment, they were chest to chest. “Want me to move?”  
     “You’re fine.”

_Take_ _your_ _own_ _advice_.

_Alright_.

He opened his mouth, fully prepared to make a fool of himself and completely contradict everything he’d just been saying. But what came out was not what he expected.  
      “I like that you think so.” He answered smoothly, and holy _shit_. That…came out way better than he’d thought it would. “But am I in the way?”

The whole kitchen froze, including Levi, who had been focused on the glasses in the cupboard. He could see them all staring, wide eyed, over the shorter mans shoulder and he was just about to backtrack with a thousand apologies, pride be damned - except that Levi lowered back down onto the balls of his feet and gave the blonde a once over, a tiny smirk pulling at the edge of his lips. He said nothing, however, and turned to walk away with the two wine glasses in his hands - but right by the door, he paused, and looked back thoughtfully.

Armin just looked back, biting his lip on the smile that threatened to erupt, and then averted his eyes to the floor shyly. It wasn’t a single step away from his usual personality, but this time it was on purpose - and evidently a well calculated risk. When his eyes flicked back up to see Levi escaping from the room, he caught the pink on his cheeks and the tips of his ears right before he disappeared, and grinned.

Jean went to speak, but Armin held up a finger to indicate he wait - at least until he’d fully processed what in the holy _hell_ had just happened. But just as he lowered his finger, Levi reappeared, his attention solely on Armin. Really, he couldn’t have timed that any better if he’d tried.

      “You’re free tomorrow, right?”  
He made a show of thinking about it, eager to not be seen as eager, then nodded, making eye contact. “I can be. If you want.”

That seemed to satisfy the raven, who pointed one of the glasses at him. “You can get my number off Mikasa. Text me around five, I’ll pick you up.”

Oh. _Oh_. It had actually _worked_. He fought to keep the giddiness out of his voice when he answered with a light, “okay”, and was still staring after him once he’d gone back to the crowd. Only when Eren released a disbelieving cry did he tear his eyes away from the doorway, and he immediately flushed beet red.

Connie was nodding sagely, muttering “Subtle” to himself, while Eren didn’t seem to be able to choose between pride and pseudo-outrage. Jean was looking at him as if he’d never seen him before.

      “But...But... That was so _bad_!” He bemoaned. “That was _awful!_ You said don’t be cliche or trashy! _”_

      “Yeah, but he’s known me since I was, what. Eight?” He explained quietly. “He knows I’d never do anything like that unless I was truly interested. And, I mean. It helps that I obviously knew it was kinda cheesy. Not trashy, you need to learn the difference. But really, all I had to do was get his attention without looking like I was desperate for it. You know, unlike ‘Musta hurt when you fell outta heaven, right?’” He imitated Jeans voice, and Eren lost it, guffawing into the sink. He couldn’t help but laugh out loud himself, smile bright. “Here endeth the lesson. I’m going to go and break the news to Mikasa.”

And freak out that he’d just _seduced_ Levi into a date. Had he known how simple it would be-

Perhaps he should take his own advice more often.

_____________

_‘Feeling tonight, some kinda wonderful_  
_Feeling_ _inside_ , _some_ _kinda_ _wonderful_  
_The_ _rest_ _of_ _my_ _life_ _is_ _some_ _kinda_ _wonderful_  
_We_ _will_ _always_ _be_ _some_ _kinda_ _wonderful_  
_Some_ _kinda_ _wonderful’_

**Author's Note:**

> I do not, in any way, profit from this story and all creative rights to the characters and universe belong to their original creator(s). 
> 
> Similarly, I do not, in any way, profit from the song quoted (‘Some Kinda Wonderful’ by Betty Who) and all rights to the song belong to the artist and team.


End file.
